The present invention relates generally to agricultural machinery and, more particularly, to an arrangement in an agricultural harvesting machine for uniform distribution of chopped stalks, chaff and the like.
German Patent No. 19908111 C1 discloses a combine harvester in which a crop stream discharged from a chopper device and consisting of material other than grain (e.g. a stalks/chaff mixture) is radially delivered directly to a subsequent blower device without being in any way deflected and thus retarded. The device consists of at least two blowers which are equipped with partial casings, which aid distribution of the crop stream. These partial casings fulfil their purpose on account of their fixed setting, but only under constant predicted harvesting conditions. Due to the radially extending, wedge-shaped flattening of the casing, controllable discharge of the crop mass is possible only to a limited extent. Further, due to the space-related arrangement of the blowers inclined toward the ground, the distance between crop discharge and the ground is different, so that the crop layer deposited on the ground varies greatly in thickness.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.
An aspect of the present invention is to provide a variable distribution arrangement that ensures wide and even distribution of chopped stalks and/or chaff.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an arrangement that enhances uniform deposition of chopped stalks and/or chaff from blowers in an agricultural harvesting machine onto the ground.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide an arrangement that enhances the uniform deposition of crop material from the blowers without interfering with the crop stream entering the blowers.
In accordance with the above aspect of the invention, there is provided a chopped stalks and chaff distribution arrangement in an agricultural harvesting machine having a chopping device arranged in a discharge region of the machine that includes first and second blowers arranged adjacent to each other in the discharge region and each blower having a rotary shaft, a crop inlet opening, and a crop outlet opening; a crop dividing plate associated with the first and second blowers, the crop dividing plate having an apex and first and second diverging arms, said apex arranged in the direction opposite a crop flow from the chopping device to the blowers; and a first adjustable partial casing moveably associated the first blower and adjoining the first diverging arm, said first adjustable partial casing arranged circumferentially with the first blower; whereby a direction of the crop flow from the crop outlet of the first blower is changed when the first adjustable partial casing is moved.
These aspects are merely illustrative of the innumerable aspects associated with the present invention and should not be deemed as limiting in any manner. These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings.